Blizzard weather arrived this week on the East Coast. I think whenever you hear something about snow and three feet of it, it’s a reason to be concerned and to plan to make other plans! Weather interrupts our lives. That kind of snow shuts down schools, businesses and churches! I used to get mad when the storms in my area hit on Saturday nights and, sure enough, church would have to be canceled the next day. Let us keep all those affected by the storms in our prayers.
Severe winter weather makes us anxious, I think. We don’t know what to expect and for how long we might have to be holed up in our homes. Look out trying to go to the grocery store as the shelves empty out of bread and milk and the other “essentials.” I never understood why we rush out to buy milk and bread of all things. Why aren’t we selling out of snacks, chocolate, liquor, books and magazines??? Just something I think about.
Lots of times our minds predict emotional or spiritual storms and then they end up not coming at all. Mark Twain said, “I’ve known a great many worries, most of which never happened.” Spiritually we always predict bad weather. By that I mean we always aren’t enough: I’ve heard it for over 20 years of ministry just as much in the patient rooms as I did in the pews-“I don’t ——- enough” (insert your word: pray, go to church, read my Bible, serve or give). We always think, spiritually, we aren’t enough. Then God comes along in the life, death, resurrection of Jesus and says “You are mine” and I love you (John 3:16) and that’s enough to help us through all the weather ahead!
Pastor Doug Givan
Staff Chaplain
Clay, Brazil
Seton, Indy
“One kind word can warm three winter months.” Japanese proverb
“Encourage one another day after day” Hebrews 3:13
Eric is our current Webmaster and works on the NLS Communications Team. Raised in Judaism, he found Christ and the New Testament at age 16 in a Southern Baptist Church. He searched many denominations for the real church, only to find the Holy Spirit is present in all of them. He's worked for One for Israel, a group of native Israeli believers who are sharing the gospel in the holy land in Hebrew and is part of the only Hebrew speaking seminary in Israel.
